Death by a Duststorm

Dear Readers,

You are probably thinking what kind of overly dramatic and morbid title is that? Well, as I have previously blogged, the Middle East continues to be engulfed in dust, there was an all out sandstorm in the middle of last week resulting in the closure of schools in Riyadh and Jeddah. Although there is no longer a sandstorm the dust hasn’t completely settled either.

Now, I like many people have a bit of an allergy to dust. If I inhale too much dust, my sinuses get inflamed and I can’t breathe, and need to take an anti-histamine. My allergy was quite awful when I was younger, but alhamdoililah, now it’s much better.

But on Tuesday, all I could smell was dust, and my sinuses were irritated- I was sniffing Vicks inhaler like a drug-addict trying to OD. Can you overdose on Vicks inhaler? If I inhaled from my nose I sneezed and if I inhaled from my mouth I coughed-as if that wasn’t enough I had a pounding headache, and my eyes watered. In short, I was in a foul mood.

Feeling tres morbid I browsed the ArabNews website, and all the while the phrase ‘Dust to dust, ashes to ashes’ haunted my thoughts. I was rather surprised and relieved to only read about 400 cases of asthma and dust related breathing problems in Jeddah alone. I was expecting at least one ‘Death by a Duststorm,’ headline.

Of course, I had over-reacted. As the anti-histamine and Paracetamol kicked in I felt much better and realised that every single breath that we take, without a thought and without pain, is a mercy from Allah-

Will we still not be grateful ? 

“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.” (2:152)

 And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] – then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an, 31:12)

Alhamdolilah, I am much better now but I still keep the Vicks close at hand. 

Everything in our life happens for a reason- to draw us closer to Allah, if only we pay a bit of attention and keep the eyes of our hearts open.

Be thankful-and please remember me in your du3as!

Sandstorms and Saudi Spring in Jeddah

The photos above have not been taken using any effect sepia or otherwise.

Spring is starting to rear its pretty head, adorned with sweet garlands, and warmed by bursts of sunshine and mild showers; it is often considered to be a pleasant season with buds beginning to bloom, and the harsh winter giving way to milder days at least, in some parts of the world.

In Jeddah, however, spring usually means only one thing: Sandstorms- lots of them and dry weather. For the past few weeks Jeddah has been engulfed in dust. Woe to all housekeepers ,cleaners and dust allergy sufferers. Everyday I wake up with smell of dust, and feeling that my sinuses as parched as the desert ground.

Some days dust just envelops the whole atmoshphere, other days there's a proper dust storm and the sky turns a depressing yellow, while the wind howls eerily among the urban buildings rattling windows and dish antennaes in urgent protest. Resenting the barriers,and trying to sneak in, the wind is  not content with spreading dust and debris on every outdoor surface. The sun turns into a giant hazy ball, like a lone but large dim bulb casting a depressing sepia hue. You can feel the grit and dust as you shuffle along head bent and you realise how essential covering your face can be in this climate.

(Whenever I see the Saudi Shabab with their Afros in this weather I'm always think that if I throw them in a convertible Caddilac and add some januty Seventies music--you'd have the perfect setting for a Seventies movie :-P - oh and the low rise pants would have to be exchanged for tight flares :-P I'm sure there is a Barbican TV ad that shows something like this)


Here's to hoping for light rain, just enough to clear the atmoshpere of all this dust but not enough for a flash flood.